Gear!

What could be more important than gear?! OK, in all fairness, food and water are pretty important. Let's try this again... what could be more FUN than gear?! Folks, we have a winner.

First, a quick side note about a thru-hiker's gear list:

For those of you who are NOT hikers, just keep in mind that everything we add to our list is weight we have to carry. On our back. For six months. It really makes you consider each and every ounce that you pack. So when you see that I will wear the same outfit for weeks at a time, try to contain that dry heave and just remember that these are not normal circumstances. Living off a minimal number of items is a fun challenge for me and I promise to once again be a clean human being. Post-hike, of course.

For those of you who ARE hikers, I'm sure at some point you will read our lists and think "What the hell do they need that for??". To which I would respond, "But I need my kindle. It's worth the weight". My point is that everyone has different preferences and while I LOVE suggestions on how to cut weight or feedback on gear you may have tested, there are some things that simply come down to preference. That's just how gear lists are and what makes them fun to read through.

For those of you who are thru-hiking.... well first and foremost, congrats! Second, we would love to see your gear list too so post it to our Facebook page!

Now, moving on to the GEAR! Update - now that our hike is complete, we have added our comments and thoughts to the 2012 AT gear lists. If you have any questions, we'd be happy to help!